Upwind vs downwind hunting

[TamponTimmy]

Like most people, I hunt downwind most of the time in this game to avoid detection.

I've tried being upwind using scents to attract the animals in the past, but with very little success. I can imagine that when you hear a vocalisation and realise its because an animal smelt you, adding the right scent would change the hunt and bring the animal in.

So, are there any people who prefer the upwind hunt? IE will go out with all the scents, instead of all the callers.

It should be noted upwind hunting is much more expensive. It doesn't cost anything to parp away on a caller.

[Tamika]

Using the scents is a nice option when you find yourself on the wrong side of the wind to lure in the animal when the wind is blowing the wrong direction.

[McSqurl Nugget]

I've never had much luck with the scents. It's a joke hunting Musk deer on Medved, they ignore the scent. Never tried scents on other animals, other than just using the Roe deer scent for that mission ins Hirsch, but all you need to do then is spray it in the area and it calls it complete.

I have the skill to make scents stronger, and that still doesn't help. callers are the way to go.

[dogshocker]

Got to say I've had a lot of success with the Musk deer scent. For me, it nearly always produces a result.

That said, I don't really like the scents because I've often put a lot of work into getting myself downwind. I always find myself using the callers in preference. all in all, I think that I've only used the elk and Musk scent sprays; usually for a mission.

Perhaps I should give the upwind, scent spray hunting a fair trial, although I think it would be of little effect with pigs. Certainly, whenever I am upwind of deer, they often smell and run before I can sight up a good clean shot.

[❄️The Last Frontier 😊]

I've only ever used scent when it is mission related but then you were not limited in the mission by wind direction you just had to use it to hunt so.....but otherwise I to have sort of found the scents and perhaps also the scent eliminator sort of useless. I know it's not suppose to be a 100% mask but it should still work better then it does

[Rookie-31st]

Even when using scents, I don't go with the wind. I move at an angle roughly along the edge of the wind cone

[DCephas27]

Scents work and work well for me but only when the wind is blowing to my back. Test it yourself by getting in a stand and using it without blowing on a lure. The game will come in from that direction but will be soon alerted when they smell you from farther away than using an audible lure against the wind.

[Guts]

Better to use cover scent and a caller.

[wubbelflup]

I never use scents. Not even the anti scent spray. I'm so used to the mechanics and not using it that I can't imagine why i would try it.

[Geronimo]

i would be very curious to hear more depth on this in this thread. I am wondering what a person might be doing that gives them the impression that scent lures or eliminators dont work for them. That reason whatever it might be could prove to be helpful to others in various ways.

I never hunt without them myself and have found them vital in many instances out there. And when i hunt without them, say if i ran out, I find that I do not get the results which i am used to getting.

Lots of times i have been trying to get that elusive bull to come out from behind a bush, which would never have happened without the accessory. lots and lots of times i have been in a stand waiting for that big male to come out after the herd of does gathered below me, to have them all suddenly scatter for no reason which told me that my eliminator had just worn off.

and i have tested this many times, because the danged eliminator doesnt have a timer, and certainly doesnt last as long as it is supposed to last, so i have often thought about going without it, but IMO, the way i hunt anyway, I just cant hunt without it.

[Hidden Gunman]

Never used them myself...stalking is my thing.

[Striker]

I take callers, scent lures and scent eliminator with me when I hunt. These are tools of last resort used to get past other animals in order to get the drop on the big guy or to get him to stand up or come out from behind a wall of brush, boulder, rise, branch, tree or another animal exposing his vitals.

[Torg Smith]

I find the best use of the scent is to put it up close and in the middle of a big obstruction.

I then head back a ways to find cover.

Then I call in the animal.

Once the animal gets close, it will head to the scent.

If you did it right, the animal should give you a good broadside shot.

[Confused Dragon]

I haven't used scents, haven't had the need to. I do use callers though. I've been thinking of using the musk deer scent, I haven't gotten a good one yet. I just haven't. I don't normally stay in one place very long. I like to stalk, so I haven't seen the need of scents. As long as I watch the wind I don't normally spook animals. And if I do a caller can bring them back in.

[GrandTickler]

the only scent i use so far is the scent eliminator, and it seems to work nicely most of the time. it seems to reduce the distance of detection when hunting with unfavorable winds. (yesterday a pack of deer didnt catch my smell until they got within 80 meters)

[cybvep]

Scent eliminator is ok and I find myself using it just in case. However, scent lures aren't useful IMO, especially when callers work so well in game. In general, callers are much, much easier to use than scent lures AND they are not wind-dependant AND you can use them infinite number of times for no additional cost.

IMO scent lures should have greater range and even higher duration in order to give them a real purpose.